Jacques Hauguel, 2014

I graduated in 2014 with a Master’s degree from the Department of Disability, Inclusion, and Special Needs (DISN) at the University of Birmingham with an overall distinction. This Master’s degree was the first opportunity I had to study something I like at university. I have been able, through my Master’s, to develop myself towards a career working with individuals with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

The expertise I gained through studying for my masters has proven to be very invaluable and facilitates positive educational outcomes for individuals with SEND. I am now more knowledgeable in policy and research, and I am now more skilled in critically evaluating research. Most importantly through doing my masters, I have achieved my long term objectives. Since I completed my Master’s, I have been writing up a report for my research participants for my dissertation to disseminate my findings. Thanks to studying an education course in addition to other experiences, I also undertook the Essential Knowledge of Key Stage Teaching course with an employment agency, Developing Your Potential Recruitment.

Because of my study at the University of Birmingham and the connections made there, I was offered a role as a volunteer with Autism West Midlands. Through my volunteering at Autism West Midlands, I hope to share my autism expertise gained during my masters in addition to my personal experience in order to promote positive educational outcomes for the service users, particularly as I have gained a good understanding through my masters dissertation about possible educational facilitators for autistic individuals as they become adults. My dissertation research has shown that autism adult services can change current outcomes for autistic adults.  I am working towards a job within either a charity or a school working with individuals with SEND. Whilst I am more specifically hoping to work with individuals on the autism spectrum, my knowledge about possible educational facilitators for autistic individuals – either during compulsory school age or older – should help me be successful in whatever job I am given.  

www.birmingham.ac.uk/send